Today in history

1787 New Jersey became the third state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. 1796 The “Monitor,” of Baltimore, MD, was published as the first Sunday newspaper. 1898 A new automobile speed record was set at 39 mph (63 kph). 1903 The Panama Canal Zone was acquired ‘in perpetuity’ by the U.S. for an annual rent. 1917 The Eighteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was passed by the U.S. Senate and then officially proposed the states. 1935 A $1 silver certificate was issued for the first time in the U.S. 1936 Su-Lin, the first giant panda to come to the U.S. from China, arrived in San Francisco, CA. The bear was sold to the Brookfield Zoo for $8,750. 1953 WPTZ, in Philadelphia, PA, presented a Felso commercial, it was the first color telecast seen on a local station. 1956 “To Tell the Truth” debuted on CBS-TV. 1957 The Shippingport Atomic Power Station in Pennsylvania went online. It was the first nuclear facility to generate electricity in the United States. It was taken out of service in 1982. 1963 Ron Clarke set a world record when he ran six miles in 28 minutes and 15.6 seconds. 1979 The sound barrier was broken on land for the first time by Stanley Barrett when he drove at 739.6 mph. 1983 Wayne Gretzky (Edmonton Oilers) scored his 100th point in the 34th game of the season. 1987 Ivan F. Boesky was sentenced to three years in prison for plotting Wall Street’s biggest insider-trading scandal. He only served about two years of the sentence. 1998 The U.S. House of Representatives began the debate on the four articles of impeachment concerning U.S. President Bill Clinton. It was only the second time in U.S. history that process had begun. 1998 South Carolina proceeded with the U.S.’ 500th execution since capital punishment was restored. 1999 After living atop an ancient redwood in Humboldt County, CA, for two years, environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill came down, ending her anti-logging protest.